Wool-burring machine



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WFDEARBORN.

WOOLBURRINGMAUHINB.

Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

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WOOL BURRING MACHINE. No. 393,746. Patented-Dec. 4, 1888..

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W. DEARBORN. wooL BURRING MACHINE. 7 No. 393,746. Patented Deo. 4,-1'888.

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W. 'DEARBORN. I V WOOL BURRING' MAGHINE.

Patented Dad. 4*, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFEICE.

WYA'IAN DEARBORN, OF BOSTON, MASSAOIIIISE'VIS.

WOOL-BURRING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,746, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed January 27, 1887. Serial No. 225,627. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WYMAN DEARBORN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vool-Burring Machines, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

In burring wool two methods are commercially practicedone mechanical, in which the burring-machine is something like the sawgin used for cotton, and one chemical, in which the burrs are dissolved by acids. The chemical method is not successful with the larger sorts of hard burrs, and is said to injure. the The mechanical method is nearly certain to break a considerable part of the fibers and thereby injure the staple. The mechanical method is applied, commercially, only to scoured wool, and it is not believed to be practical to use it upon wool in the grease on account of the suint of the wool clogging the parts.

The principle of the saw-gin is the principle that has hitherto usually been adapted to burring wool mechanically. In this the fiber containing burrs or seeds is brought up to a grating too small for the seeds or burrsto pass, and the fibers are caught by fine teeth,

which project through the grating and pull the fibers away from the burrs or seeds. This is obviously only the substitution of two combs for one comb and a grating.

I am aware that a patent was granted to E. J. McCarthy, dated January 10, 1860, No. 26,7 7 5, in which there was a draw-roller, a device called a breastplate, a stripper, and a pair of feed-rolls, one of which was serrated for the purpose of holding one end of the fiber, while the opposite end was held by the breastplate and draw-roll.

I am also aware that a patent was granted to Platt and Richardson, of Oldham, England, No. 36,727, of October 21, 1862, in which there was a toothed roller, a set of fixed spikes, an endless apron of leather or other flexible material with transverse bands, at fluted roller, and a sort of roller-gin.

I am also aware that-a patent was granted to R. J. Clay April 2, 1867, No. 63371, in which was described a gang of reciprocating tooth-shaped blades with saw-teeth at their edges,which Worked through ways or passages; but this machine, as I understand it, was a reciprocating saw-gin instead of a rotating saw-gin.

I am also aware that there was a patent granted to J. K. Proctor, No. 208,493, October 1,1878, in which was described a machine which had five sets of saws and a series of brushes and fans, but in which the saws did not work, as a rule, through gratings.

The principle involved in roller-ginning has seemed to me better adapted for burring wool than the principle of the saw-gin. In the roller-gin the fiber is caught between the presser-bar and roll of the gin, and the seed is knocked out of it by vibrating clearers, the fiberbeing very little broken in the operation.

' I therefore attempted to apply the principle of the roller-gin to the burring of wool, and I desired to remove the burrs from uncleaned wool, or, as it is technically called, wool in the grease. I have found that the character of the work of burring wool requires some changes and modifications in the working parts of the machine, and these changes,which seem to be essential for the performance of the work, and which I was only able to make after repeated experiments, I now propose to describe and patent. They relate to the texture of the friction-surface of the roller, to the shape of the clearer blade or blades, and particularly to the shape of the working-edges of theseblades, to the presser-bar, and to certain appliances connected with the feed-table. lVith the form of construction hereinafter described I have removed from unsecured wool all sorts of burrs without injury to the fiber,with hardly any waste, excepting the loss of the weight of the burrs themselves, and without suspicion on the part of anybody to whom the work was exhibited after it was finished that the wool had ever been burred.

The machine here illustrated belongs to the belt-gin type of roller-gin, and in many respects is similar to the Murray gin, patented i l v cable to a gin in which the rolling frictional surface is of cylindrical form, as in the rollergin proper, as it is to a gin in which the rolling cylindrical surface is of nearly elliptical form, as in what is technically termed the belt-gin."

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical scction of the machine. tion of the head and front of the machine, showing a slight variation of some parts. Fig.

scale than before, of the head and front of the machine in another modified form. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the feed-table drag-teeth. Fig. 8 is an elevation of part of the side of the machine which is hidden in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the clcarers and of the roll, belt, and presser-bar in section. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are details of clez'u'er-blades. Fig. 13 is an elevation of part of the beltstraining device. Fig. 1i is a section of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3 at right angles to the section shown in Fig.

A is the frame of the machine; A, the feedtable.

B (I are rolls over which runs the endless belt; C. This is made of several plies of duck vulcanized. together with india-rubber compound. It should have six or more plies. I have usually used a belt with about twelve plies. \Vhile for commercialpurposes in ginning cotton it is essential that the duck of which this multiple-ply belt is made should be comparatively coarse, in barring wool, it is as essential that the duck should be comparatively fine.

gives the best results in belts for barring wool. There is, of course, a small range of this number of (luck; but the practical statement of this requirement is that for burring wool the belt or covering for the roll must be made of about twelve-ounce hose-duck cemented with vulcanizable material and vulcanized. For gim'iing cotton such a belt or roller-cover, to get the bestresults,is made of about eighteen-ounce hose-duck. must, as in the cotton-gin belts, be built up with a minimum quantity of rubber between the plies.

D is the connecting-rod, which aetuatcs the clearer ll, and is itself actuated by the eccentric d, which is 011 the driving-shaft D, as for removing the larger varieties of burrs but I have found by experience that 3 what is known as twelve-ounce hose-duck Fig. 2 is a similar seeformed in it, into which is driven the wooden bushing (1 as shown in Figs. and H. The main shaft D has mounted upon it an eccentric, d", and two cheeks, d (7, and these checks are fastened to the shaft by set-screws (F or by a spline, which would be the equivalent of these set-screws. A large eye formed at the lower end of the eonuecting-rod D envelopes this eccentric, and there is space enough bet ween the interior of this eye and the exterior of the eccentric for a wooden bushing, d. This wooden bushing is made 5 in two parts, which are allowed to have a 3 is a transverse section of some parts of the can be understood from Fig. i. If any other form of reciprocating clearer than that shown at H, Fig. 1, is usedas, for instance, the form shown in Fig. 9the coimecting-rod D will be used to actuate that as well. The upper part of this connecting-rod D has an eye small interval between them, and in case of wear these parts are forced together, so that the bushing 1/ fits closely to the exterior of the eccentric d by driving in the adjustingscrew (1, which passes through thelower part of the lower eye of the eccentric-rod D. On one of the flanges (1 is attached a counterweight, I)", to act as a counter mise to the eccentiric in the revolution of the shaft l). in order to unite these checks (1 (1" firmly with the eccentric (1', a bolt, (1 passes through -them and the eccentric from side to side and is firmly screwed up. This method of using wooden frictional surfaces rubbing against iron is as important in such a machine as a cotton-gin or a wool-burrer as it is in the thrust-bearing of a screw-steamer. l have employed for the wood bushing the same material, pitch-pine, which 1 formerly have used in the bearings of a cotton-gin.

E are the clearer-arms pivoted, at the front. of the machine on the cross-bar c, which is held in notches (I by the cap squares w. These notches are in the checks (1. on either side of the feed-table A. There are several of these notches, to enable the clearer to be worked at different angles, if desired.

F is the body ofthe prcsscr-bar. It is set in notches in the frame of the machine and adjusted to and from the belt by adjustingscrewsf' f. Thisbody F ismuch more solid than usual and is of iron. A steel blade, f,

, is notched into it and screwed to it by' the weights and sizes of threads either way from screws 1". These. screws, except, perhaps, those at the ends, should be put in from the belt side, as shown in Figs. 6 and l).

The clearer II is fast; to the clearer-arms E, and is straight fora considcral'ile distance, and then curved sharply away from the front of the machine toward the roller, the bend being inclined to the body of the clearer at an The belt angle of about thirty degrees, and terminates in a slightly-rounded edge near the prcsserbar. This formation of the working-edge into a blunt rounded arcte instead of a cutting arcte is important. If the edge be smooth and not cut into teeth, it will serve very well For removing the spiral burr from wool the edge of the clearer must be notched with fine notches 71, Fig. 12, which are triangular 011 all their faces. They are not in the form of sawteeth, but each is a short blunt pyramid, and

they are out only in the turned or rounded edge of the clearer and ought not to enter upon either of the faces of the body of the clearer adjacent to the edge, and must not enter upon the lower face of the lower clearer, when a lower clearer, II, is used as in Figs. 9 and 1.0. I11 this latter case the notches h' of the lower clearer need to be shallower and the pyramids blunter than is at times permissible in those of the upper clearer. This form of tooth can be seen on examination of Figs. 10, 11, and 12, of which Fig. 10 shows the front side of the clearer, and Fig. 12 the back side, with the notches h not going through the blade, but only notching the turned edge. They are made pretty deep on the roller-face, and the instrument which cuts them is so inclined as not to impair the continuity of the feed-table face and but slightly the edge itself on the side adjacent to the roll.

If double clearers are desired, they may be attached to the arm E, as shown in Fig. 9 at H II, or the lower clearer may form the edge of the feed-table, as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the table A would be pivoted at e and the feed-table vibrated up and down from the connecting-rod D by the action of the pin (1 link d, and card, as shown in Fig. 6. If a lower clearer be used, it must be slotted, as shown at h, Figs. 5 and 11, for the passage of the burrs when they are knocked out of the wool. The notched edge is required for this lower clearer as well as for the upper one in case of spiral burrs, and, as previously explained, the notches h' must not enter upon the vertical or slightly-inclined face of the body of the clearer on the side toward the roll, because, as

the fiber of the wool is not dragged past this point in the clearer, the suint, which is worked out of the wool in the burring operation, will collect and cake onto this face of the clearer and clog the notches, whereas if they are made short and shallow in this lower side it does not so clog the notches.

revolving do'lfer to clean the belt 0' of fiber. It is run by a belt, g, (see Fig. 4,) from the shaft of the roll B. On this same shaft is an eccentric from which the eccentric-rod i of the feed table, detaining and loosening the wool as it passes them to be burred. By this combination the fiber as it passes over the feed-table, and is pulled along by the drawingro.l, is pulled away from the drawing-roll and put into a condition of comparative tension when it is struck by the clearers, whereby the burrs are more effectively removed. The slot in the arm 2" allows more or less motion to be given them. This variation of motion is caused from the fact that the motion of the arm dis a uniform motion. If it be attached in the slot i at the point next the shaft I, then th e motion of an inch of the connecting-rod i will give a greater motion to the teeth j 7; at their extremities than if the arm i be attached in the slot i at a greater distance from the center of the shaft I. This is readily done by the ordinary screwstud, which is used in connecting connectingrods to the power end of a slotted arm on a rock-shaft. An equivalent for this detail is shown in Fig. 2, where the toothed cylinder J, having curved teeth 7c, is shown for the same purpose. This toothed cylinder is run by gearing y from the wheel K, as shown in Fig. 8, and this wheel K is run by a belt, or, from the shaft of the roll B, as shown in Fig. 2.

The wheel K is on a lever, 7r, adjustal'ile in height, as shown in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 8.

In order to adjust the clearers to the vary ing lengths of different fibers, slots are made in them, through which binding-screws pass, which screws are attached to the clearer-arms. This has been a usual detail in gins of my construction, and it is illustrated in the upper clearer of Fig. 5, and also in the lower clearer in Fig. 11.

To get the propertension on belt 0, the boxes of roll 0 are movable to and from roll B in slots in the frame of the machine. The

method of getting even tension is, however, novel. Each box has a hooked ear, I, fast to it, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, and in elevation, Fig. 13. The frame is slotted transversely at m, and a long transverse bar, 92, with symmetrical wedges at each end, is thrust through these slots from side to side.

The hooks of cars Z hook on the wedges of the bar, and one end of the bar 01 is turned up into an ear, 0. Through this ear 0 passes a rod, p, which lays hold of the machine, and a nut, 19, serves to drive the wedges forward and strain the belt C. G is the back board. or separator, and g is a In both modifications of the clearer II- viz., that illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, in which the edge is not serrated, and that illustrated in Figs. 10 and 12, in which it is serratedthe body of the clearer is set forward of the edge, (assuming the feed-table to be the front of the machine,) and a deep recess exists above the working-edge, into which the wool may expand after the downward stroke,which expansion I believe to be essential to feeding wool, but which is not essential or desirable for cotton-ginning on account of the differing elasticity of the fibers. The projection of the working-edge in rear of therear face of the clearer ought to be in the vicinity of a quarter of an inch; but if an eighth it will do work, and more than a quarter will do no great harm. The angle of projection of the rear face ought to be about thirty degrees; but a larger angle is admissible, and a smaller one, even less than twenty degrees, will do good work; hence there is some range allowable to take up wear of the clearer. Formally, this has a superficial resemblance to the Osgood devices, illustrated in Letters Patent No. 61,239, January 15, lhtiT; No. tLOtti, December 22, lRtiIl, and No. Qofitd, Oetober 18, N59; but the ()sgood elearers ot Patent No. 25,848 are serrated plates cut through from back to front. 'lhose ot latent x1). 41,041; are also serrated plates cut through from back to:

trout, and the points of the teeth do not extend beyond the Face. of the vertical part; of

I thirty degrees with the body of the clearer,

and provided with a working-edge notched with fine notches 71, each of the teeth of which clearer is a short blunt pyramid, and each of which notches h is cut; only in the turned edge of the clearer, substantially as described.

5. In a woollnirring machine, the combination of a roller, 1;, adapted to be revolved downward upon its front side, which rolleris the clearer, but the rear face of the clearer has a shallow transverse groove formed in it from the points of the teeth up. In No. 61,239 the (dearers are bent plates with nearly-horizontal saw-teeth edges having the points of the teeth toward the ginning-roll and presserbar.

The double-ogee curvature of theclearers II (shown in Figstl, l0, and i2) is madebecause the clearers are set in Fig. 9 on the front side of j the end block of arm E instead of on the back thereof: is provided with teeth, each of which teeth is a short blunt pyramid, and each of f which notches 71 is out only in the turned of said end block, as in Fig. t3-a form of eon- 1 said roll B and vibrating said clearer .1! past and adjacent to the point of nearest approach struction adopted for hand-machines, while the other form of Fig. 6 is adopted for powermachines.

Only one of the two forms of clearer herein edge of the clearer, and means for rotating between the presser-bar and the armament of the roller, and a teed-table, A, sulistantially described is herein claimed, the other form of device to be employed on a diti'erent quality ot' wool being made thesubject' of tlllOtilQl'lD- plication filed by me February 20, 1883, Serial No. 264,586.

Having thus tully deseribed myinvention, l

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States l. In combination with the connecting-rod I 'D, formed at the lower end into an eye, the

shaft 1), eccentric d", cheeks (Z (1 all united I together substantially as described, and the whereby said bushin is adj usted as described, substantially as and for the purpose described. 2. The combination, with the movable boxes of rolls C, furnished with the hooked ear Z, of

1 anism for causing said drag to pull the fiber the wedge-shaped spline provided with ear 0, and the rod p, and nut 11, substantially as described.

3. The pivot.sl'|att c of the elearer-arms E, in combination with the said clearer-arms, with means whereby a vibrating movement is imparted to the arms E, and with the clearer ll, attached to said arms E, and with means whereby the position of said piy'otshaft e may be shifted vertically and the clearer ll given a diiferent inclination of stroke, substantially as and for the purpose described.

i. In a wool-burring machine, the clearer I],

as described.

6. In an apparatus for burring wool, the combination of a drawing-roll provided with a suitable covering, a stationary presscr-bar adjacent to said roll, by the aid of which (.lrawinga'oll covering and n'esser-bar the fiber is pulled along, a vibrating clearer which is vibrated adjacent to the point of junction of said drawing-roll and presscr-bar, which vibrating clearer is actuated to forcibly strike the fiber at or near the junction between the presser-bar and drawing-roll, mechanism for actuating said drawing-roll and vibrating clearer, a feed-table whereby the material to be burrcd is presented to the drawing-roll, a toothed drag, the teeth of which project through said feed-table, and actuating mechaway from the drawing-roll as it passes forward over the feed-table, whereby the fiber is pulled in one direction by the drawing-roll f between the drawingaoll and presser-bar and formed with a curvature from front to back adjacent to the edge at about an angle of in the opposite direction by the drag, and in this condition of comparative tension is struck and cleaned from burrs by the vibrating clearer, all substantially as and for t he purpose described.

W YMAN DEAR BORN.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J. M. DOLAN.

IIO 

